Abel to Yzerman

DET (1-1) return to the Joe with home-ice advantage in a strange series. During the regular season, DET were the leagues best team at 5-5 play, and special teams were the Wing’s achille’s heel: 16.1 PP% (22), 81.8 PK% (18). Yet, in this series, DET have 2 PP goals (game 1), and all of NSH’s scoring has been at even strength (0-12 on the PP). DET have goals by Homer, Hank, White, Emmerton, and Moose (off a Disco Stu shot). In the Game 1 loss, DET put37 SOG, in the Game 2 win, DET managed only 17 SOG.

Uncle Mike has a message for the invisible Moose: “He has the ability to be a big-time player. Being a big-time player at this time of year is real simple. A lot of guys have regular-season success and can’t have any in the playoffs, just because they’re not gritty enough and determined enough. They need more space and when there’s no space you’ve got to make your own space, you’ve got to dig in and find a way. So he has the tool set and he’s always found a way to do that and we need him to do that again this year.”

Moose may be invisible, but Serial Killer, Magic Ticket, TPH, and Hank have come to play, big time. Game 3 at JLA, NSH are 0-6 at the Joe in the playoffs. LGRW

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 04/15/12 at 11:27 AM ET

The Ghost of Rafalski glided in from the blue line Friday night into that open space and nailed that shot. What a lift from him and Emmerton, who hustled to keep the puck in zone on that first goal as well as scoring the second goal.

Top 6 forwards have been a stand off so far, each team won when their goalie made multiple ridiculous saves.

Series too close to call, and looking across all 4 series in the western conference they’re all that way.

Bettman has created both parity and a parody of a league.

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 04/15/12 at 11:31 AM ET

Posted by bigdee89 on 04/15/12 at 09:08 AM ET

At one time we used to have a glossary, don’t know what happened to that, sorry bigdee. Over the years many of the 19 have coined nicknames for the players. Some of them make sense, some we just pulled out of our asses. Some players have more than one. To the best of my limited ability, here you go:

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com